Shoot different guns?

[t0066jh]

I've been shooting Steel Challenge for six months and am a D shooter. I'm 62 and have no aspirations for "stardom", just get better with what I've got. Problem is, I keep getting new guns. I started with an XD45, then a S&W 66 and now a 1911. I'm having fun shooting all of them but don't seem to be improving in any of them. Am I messing myself up with three different feeling triggers? I did have a trigger job on the XD and shoot it the best.

I've got lots of time for dry fire practice and not that much for range time.

I'm torn between the fun of shooting them all and being stuck at the same level.

Recommendations?

[lugnut]

It is a dilema for sure. In my opinion until you get REAL good... I don't think switching guns is helping you. I usually stay with one gun for at least 6 months at a time. Of course I will shoot some other guns on an occasion during that time... but the vast majority of shooting/dry fire is with my competition gun. One thing that might help... just buy a bunch on one kind- like a bunch of Glocks, 1911s, etc. and stick with the same type. My G17 and G34 have the same exact trigger and sights. Not much variety but you get the point.

[LPatterson]

I've been shooting Steel Challenge for six months and am a D shooter. I'm 62 and have no aspirations for "stardom", just get better with what I've got. Problem is, I keep getting new guns. I started with an XD45, then a S&W 66 and now a 1911. I'm having fun shooting all of them but don't seem to be improving in any of them. Am I messing myself up with three different feeling triggers? I did have a trigger job on the XD and shoot it the best.

I've got lots of time for dry fire practice and not that much for range time.

I'm torn between the fun of shooting them all and being stuck at the same level.

Recommendations?

Continue to have fun!!!!!! At our age there is no way to keep up with the kids so it all about the fun. The is also the fun of collecting new toys to play with, I have an Open Glock G21, a Limited Para 14/45, a SS/L10 1911, a 625 and a 9mm XD for Production, there was also the Beretta 92FS Vertec and a Charles Daly 1911 watabe. Lately it is an assortment of XD45's for possible conversion to Limited/L10 and G17,26 & 30 for GSSF. If there is money left over the kids would just blow it anyway.

[Paul Burtchell]

"Do as I say, not as I've done."

Let's see: I started shooting USPSA and IDPA matches one year ago. I have bought/sold/ traded the following: 1911 Les Baer Thunder Ranch, 1911 Wilson Combat, Glock G34, Glock G24, a 5" custom STI, a 6"fat free custom STI, a custom 1911 STI Spartan, a custom Les Baer/Caspian 1911, Springfield XD9, and a couple of Para's.

If I would have bought one gun (no matter which one) stuck with it, and spent all the money I used trading and selling on guns on ammo and training I would have progressed much faster and have a bigger bank account. BUT..... I've had alot of fun buying, trading, selling and getting to know alot of the folks on this forum. To me it's been as much fun as shooting itself and I've truly learned alot, but I've only progressed to C Class in USPSA and Sharpshooter in IDPA.

My advice for the fastest improvement. Buy one gun, stick with it for awhile. Spend the money on ammo and training.

Oh, and I've got a custom S&W M &P Pro on the way

Edited August 3, 2008 by baerburtchell

[BSeevers]

There is a saying in gunfighting that says "Beware of the man who owns one gun"

Works for competition also.

[Bill Nesbitt]

I'm 62 and have no aspirations for "stardom

I'm 62 and I still have aspirations for stardom. If you're shooting steel challange, then age won't have a lot of affect on how you shoot compared to the younger set. You should be able to stand and deliver with the best.

Why don't you pick one for competition and use the others for plinkers? Coming into a match practice with the match gun. Between matches you can plink with the others. That's the way I've been doing and it works pretty good for me.

[badchad]

Why don't you pick one for competition and use the others for plinkers? Coming into a match practice with the match gun. Between matches you can plink with the others. That's the way I've been doing and it works pretty good for me.

That’s what I do. I have a safe full of cool guns that I can show friends, but come match time (and almost all practice time) I either have my Glock 34 or 35, both set up the same. Who says you can’t have you cake and eat it too.

[BayouSlide]

If you enjoy the variety but want to improve a little faster...on all of 'em...why not practice/compete with one exclusively for two or three months, then switch to the next in line. That way you can work with each of 'em enough to improve, but not be changing up so often that you spend a match getting accustomed to a "different" trigger feel or slight grip variations, etc..

Good techniques, no matter what the platform, are good techniques, and should carry over from one to the next.

I appreciate your desire to exercise all your toys...no use having a safe full if you don't shoot 'em.

Best of luck!

EDITED: because I hate typos!

Edited August 3, 2008 by BayouSlide

[-JQ-]

There is a saying in gunfighting that says "Beware of the man who owns one gun"

Works for competition also.

"I always thought it was PITY the man who owns one gun"

[DougCarden]

Get whatever you shoot the best, get the best trigger job you can, and then practice with it...That will help you the most!

Go for it!

DougC

[AustinMike]

I've bounced around the different divisions with different guns. It makes it hard to be consistent, especially going between stuff like striker based polymer guns and the 1911. Pick the one you like the best and stick with it. To be honest, I'd probably be happiest shooting my Kimber in single stack or even my 625 revolver. I just love .45acp. Bullet prices being what they are though, I don't shoot much .45 these days. I treat myself to occasional single stack matches as they come up, but most of the time I'm slingin' a Glock these days.

[kevinj308]

I've recently been having this debate with myself as well. I shoot IDPA with a 1911, a Glock and a 625. I recently decided to set a goal for myself with each gun. For me that's making sharpshooter. When I do that with my 1911 then I'll move to the next one. Makes it a little easier in the reloading room too. Just set up for one and shoot alot of it until it's time to move on.

That's just how I'm looking at it. I'll see how it works out. But no matter what have a good time, whatever that means to you

[HSMITH]

When you can stroke the trigger through on that M66 without disturbing the sight alignment you will be able to shoot anything you pick up pretty darn well. I say pound the revolver the most, work at it and learn from it, shoot the others for fun here and there, and watch your ability increase dramatically.

[UW Mitch]

I'll echo the sentiments above - a friend who has been shooting guns many more years than I've been on this planet told me when I bought my first handgun that I should only shoot one if I wanted to get really good. But I enjoy the variety. To be able to wake up Sunday morning and say, "What am I going to shoot today?"

~Mitch

[Revopop]

When you can stroke the trigger through on that M66 without disturbing the sight alignment you will be able to shoot anything you pick up pretty darn well. I say pound the revolver the most, work at it and learn from it, shoot the others for fun here and there, and watch your ability increase dramatically.

That's definitely been the case for me. I started shooting revolver this season, and I made a commitment to myself to only shoot revolvers in competition this year. I shoot USPSA with the 625, and steel with both the 625 and a Model 14. I still shoot my other guns, and when I do I invariably find that I'm better than the last time. Working a revolver trigger has taught me a helluva lot about trigger control, now when I pick up virtually any auto trigger control is a cakewalk.

I started with a Glock 35, then went to a Wilson KZ45, but I was always thinking about what other gun or division I'd shoot if I had the scratch. Since I've committed to one division for a set period of time, I've spent a lot more time focusing on my shooting and not my equipment, and I've improved by leaps and bounds.

I haven't decided what I'm going to do next year, I have toyed with the idea of shooting production exclusively, but I'm having so much fun with a revolver that I'll probably stick with it.

[boz1911]

I shoot primarily Open and Limited. All 3 guns I use have the exact same trigger design and trigger weight so the feel does not change. That being said, I agree with Howard's statement regarding shooting a revolver, almost makes me want to buy one???

[Hi-Power Jack]

I have a feeling that if I tried to use one type of gun for two months,

then switched to another type of gun for two months, and then

tried a third type of gun for two months, that I wouldn't be getting

anywhere either. (Not that I've gotten too far with one gun:(()

I've never shot steel (I shoot IPSC) but I would think that speed is

very important - that means you want a gun with great trigger pull

(that's faster than a poor trigger pull), a gun which is real accurate

(so you can shoot fast), quick holster and mags/mag pouches;

and if I can't see the sights real well (I'm 63, and I can't see the sights

real well), I 'd be tempted to try a C-More optical sight (which I just

bought).

You didn't say exactly what portion of all that is holding you back the

most - the speed or the accuracy?

I like to break it down and see where I'm doing the worst, and try to

address that one component.

But, I don't think you are giving each type of gun enough time to

learn whether that is the best gun for Steel.

[Taildraggerdave]

When you can stroke the trigger through on that M66 without disturbing the sight alignment you will be able to shoot anything you pick up pretty darn well. I say pound the revolver the most, work at it and learn from it, shoot the others for fun here and there, and watch your ability increase dramatically.

+1 on that.

Enjoy,

Dave

[HitEcRedNek]

When you can stroke the trigger through on that M66 without disturbing the sight alignment you will be able to shoot anything you pick up pretty darn well. I say pound the revolver the most, work at it and learn from it, shoot the others for fun here and there, and watch your ability increase dramatically.

+1 on that.

Enjoy,

Dave

+1 more

the revolver just begs to be dry-fired (and no cases to pick up in live fire)

[big country]

I've been shooting Steel Challenge for six months and am a D shooter. I'm 62 and have no aspirations for "stardom", just get better with what I've got. Problem is, I keep getting new guns. I started with an XD45, then a S&W 66 and now a 1911. I'm having fun shooting all of them but don't seem to be improving in any of them. Am I messing myself up with three different feeling triggers? I did have a trigger job on the XD and shoot it the best.

I've got lots of time for dry fire practice and not that much for range time.

I'm torn between the fun of shooting them all and being stuck at the same level.

Recommendations?

+1 as well!

I have the same problem because I have numerous different pistols in many different calibers as well and I like to shoot them all. However, I don't feel I improve very much as a "accurate/good" pistol shooter and I wonder if I should just stick with one gun or gun type. I feel that one of the reasons for this is because every pistol has a different trigger feel and sight picture, therefore, causing variances, although maybe small, but sill variances. If you find a good answer to your problem, I sure would be interested in hearing about it or if anybody has a good solution, I to would be interested in hearing it.

[Revopop]

As I stated in my earlier post, pick one and stick with it for a specific amount of time, even if it's only for a few months. I think a whole season would be better, but it's up to you to make that decision. It doesn't matter which gun you pick, but once you commit to it stick with it for the time period you decided on.

Also if you haven't already, read Brian's book. Then go shoot for a while. Repeat.

[t0066jh]

What a great bunch of replies. I actually tried everyone's advice.... so here's what happened. I'm a reasonably accurate D shooter so I decided I'd switch to a 9mm XD Tactical for lighter recoil to get the gun back on target, and improve my times. I had started with 45's, major power factor, and hadn't ever learned much about recoil management. With the 9mm, I've gotten my times under 1 minute for 4 stages and am placing in the top 5 of 15-20 D shooters. I'll strengthen my reloads as I continue to improve.

The next plan is to work on taking time to visualize the course of fire in the last few minutes before it's my turn to shoot. Finally, one of my shooting buddies has returned to AZ for the Winter and that will get the competitive juices flowing to improve focus.........only now we both have 9mm and 1911's and plan to shoot both at the Tuesday matches.

The good thing is that the worst that can happen is not much of anything except FUN!

[Nik Habicht]

I'll channel Steve Anderson: Pick one and practice.....

....then practice some more....

[PistolPete]

It really depends what you are looking to accomplish. I take my shooting seriously and I'm an open shooter. I really don't pick up any gun except for my open gun. if I feel like just shooting ti shoot then I might bring a different gun but for the most part its all I shoot. I would rather be great at one thing and decent at others than just be decent at everything.

If u truly want to improve then pick one gun and shoot that al the time.

Pete

[buddy_fuentes]

+1 for LPatterson! He hit it on the head.....it's about having a good time. You are not going to make a living out of it; this is your sport like the guy next door that plays golf or tennis. Go out and do what you enjoy...at the end of the day it doesn't matter if you are a "D" or "M" class shooter, just that you had a good day.

Good Luck, Buddy